Combination desk and chair

ABSTRACT

A desk top is rigidly secured to a vertically movable column constituting a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder for a piston rising from the floor or depending from the ceiling. The piston is tubular and accommodates wiring and/or fluid pipes supplying electric or other equipment on the desk. A chair facing the desk top has a frame fastened to the piston or the cylinder. Receptacles, such as a waste basket and a file cabinet, are slidably received in rails on the underside of the desk top and are normally raised off the floor to facilitate sweeping, these receptacles being provided with casters for easy transportation to another location upon being lowered onto the floor and withdrawn from their rails.

United States Patent 1191 Weber 1 Nov. 6, 1973 COMBINATION DESK ANDCHAIR [21] Appl. No.: 87,780

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [52] US. Cl 312/223, 312/194,312/196, 312/235 [51] Int. CL. A47b 77/08, A47b 53/00, A47b 83/00 [58]Eield of Search 312/223249 l 94 297/170; 248/404-405, 422; 108/147 [56]References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS I 2,906,575 9/1959 Schlackmanet al 108/147 UX 3,268,285 8/1966 Greenberg..... 312/319 X 3,393,6497/1968 Miotke 108/47 2,024,045 12/1935 Johnson..... 312/235 R X2,544,822 3/1951 Brown 312/249 3,000,681 9/1961 Long 312/246 X 3,262,7357/1966 Thompson 312/249 X QIIIIIIIOD 3,305,822 2/1967 Dlouhy et al.248/404 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 347,604 8/ 1960 Switzerland312/235 R 516,877 l/l940 Great Britain 297/172 Primary Examiner-Paul R.Gilliam AztorneyKarl F. Ross 57 ABSTRACT and/or fluid pipes supplyingelectric or other equipmenton the desk. A chair facing the desk top hasa frame fastened to the piston or the cylinder. Receptacles, such as awaste basket and a tile cabinet, are slidably received in rails on theunderside of the desk top and are normally raised off the floor tofacilitate sweeping, these receptacles being provided with casters foreasy transportation to another location upon being lowe'red onto thefloor and withdrawn from their rails.

' 12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDnuv 6 I973 3.770.334

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INVENTOR, REINOLD WEBER ATTORNEY PAIENTEDnnv elm 3,770,334

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BY Y as marl 320 ATTORNEY PATENTEDRUY a 1973 LU 3K? 7 Remold WeberWen/0r.

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ATTORNEY REINOLD WEBER INVENTOR.

BY 5. aw R PATENTEDNUV 6 ma 1770.33 sum 7 @F 7 REINOLD WEBER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY COMBINATION DESK AND CHAIR erable space and interfere withfloor sweeping and similar activities while also impeding the mobilityof the users legs. Moreover, conventional desks are difficult to adjustto the body. size 'of the persons to be seated thereat or to adapt todifferent purposes, e.g. for use as a relatively low support for atypewriter or as a relatively high tabletop for manual writing.

It is, therefore, the general object of my present in-' vention toprovide an improved piece of furniture obviating the afore-stateddisadvantages.

More specifically, my invention aims at providing a desk constructiondesigned to provide nearly orcompletely unobstructed leg room for theuser and to dispense with unsightly encumbrances-such as electrical orother supply line extending from the desk top to the floor.

A further object is to provide convenient means in such a unit forraising and lowering a desk top to adjust its level to the requirementsof the user, to facilitate sweeping or searching for lost articles, andto clear a pathway for the moving of bulky equipment.

Still another object, allied with the preceding one, is

to provide means on such a desk top for enablingthe removable attachmentof one or more receptacles to the underside thereof, thereby allowingthe independent transportation of such receptacles .(e.g. wastebaskets,sets of drawers or storage cabinets) to other destinations. v I attainthe foregoing objects, in conformity with the present invention, by theprovision of a unique support for a vertically movable desk top, thissupport consisting essentially of an upright, extensible post includinga pair of telescoped members (i.e. a cylinder and a piston) which arerelatively displaceable by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure. The pistonis hollow and forms a guide tube for one or more supply lines (e.g.electrical conductors) for the operation of ancillary equipment on thedesk top, these supply lines being therefore provided with suitableterminals at the desk top to which the appliances may be connected.Conduits, such as those used for the control of the pneumatic orhydraulic fluid utilized in the desk-elevating systemfmay also passthrough the piston.

With one of the two telescoped memberfixedly secured to the desk top,the other member is made rigid with a surrounding building structuredefining the room occupied by the desk, as by being temporarily orpermanently fastened to either the floor of the ceiling of that room. Inthe latter instance, i.e. with the desk top suspended from above,thedesk will be completely If the location of the desk is to besubstantially fixed, a p re-existing structural pipe may be used asthe'piston by providing such pipe with a flange to serve as the pistonhead and encasing same in a mobile cylinder rigid with the desk top.Usually, however, it will be more convenient to fit either the cylinderor the piston into a socket provided for this purpose on the floor or onthe ceiling, advantageously at a location where the necessary utilitymains such as power or telephone outlets are readily accessible. Thus,the high-voltage or communication cables might be disposed in channelswithin the floor or ceiling structure and provided with junction boxeswithin the sockets to which the internal supply lines from the post maybe connected automatically upon a fitting of the tubular piston (orpossibly the cylinder) into its socket. Suitable retaining means, suchas a bayonet coupling, may serve to hold the fixed post member securelyin its socket while maintaining the electrical connection therebetween.

In an office building with desks located on adjoining upper and lowerfloors, the socket may traverse the intervening ceiling layer so as toaccommodate both a suspended post on the lower floor and a rising poston the upper floor;'in this case, evidently, the feeder lines side thehollow piston to an intermediate point thereof I and to let the linesemerge from the piston at that point with enough slack to allow movementof an edge of the surrounding cylinder past the point of emergence inopposite directions, the cylinder being spaced in the region of its edgefrom the piston to form a clearance which accommodates part of theflexible wiring and/or tubing constituting the'internal supply lines.The remainder of this wiring or tubing is preferably received ing.Naturally, the 'supply lines (especially in the case of telephone wiresor the like) may also be of the conventional coiled type whose effectivelength varies with the relative position' of the piston and thecylinder, thereby obviating the need for a partial guidance ofsuch'wiring outside the cylinder. It will also be understood that, ifnecessary, sliding contacts may be provided on the movable member of thepost to facilitate a connection of the desk-supported electric equipmentto an external circuit.

If the two telescoped members are relatively rotatable, or if the desktop is rotatably secured to its supporting member, the position of thedesk may be altered even with a permanently installed post. A chair forthe user of the desk may be supported on the same post, with or withoutangular orientability but preferably with longitudinal adjustability ofits mounting frame to allow for different levels and/or distances of theseat with reference to the desk top.

The above and other features of my invention will be describedhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a desk-and-chair combination embodyingmy invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the lower part of a postincluded in the unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modified base for the post of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top viewof an array of sockets for a set of desk unitsaccording to the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic top view, on a smaller scale, of a set of desksmounted on the sockets of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation of a ceiling-mounted socket for asuspended desk generally similar to that of FIG. 1;

FIG.- 7 is a perpsective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating amodification; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the unit of FIG. 7.

In FIG. 1 I have shown a unitary piece of furniture comprisinga desk top1 cantilevered on a post or column 3 rising from the floor of the room.A set of drawers 2 is detachably secured, in a manner more fullydescribed hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, to the undersideof desk top 1 and may or may not touch the floor, depending on theelevation of the desk top. This elevation may be varied, hydraulicallyor pneumatically, by means of a pair of switch handles 38 controllingthe admission of high-pressure fluid to the interior of post 3 whoseinternal construction will be described hereinafter with reference toFIG. 2. Desk top 1 also provides space for a typewriter 60, a telephone61 and various panels 62, 63 with pushbuttons, e.g. for data-processingor inter-office communication; the electrical supply lines for thesedevices extend entirely within the post from the floor to .the level ofdesk top 1. A lighting fixture 47, whose energizing circuit also lieswith the post 3, is mounted at the top thereof.

The lower part of post 3 is designedas a hollow piston 4 on which theupper part, hereinafter referred to as a cylinder, is telescopicallyslidable. An arm 45, extending laterally from piston 4, is part of aframe supporting a seat 46, this frame also including a strong leafspring 64 which is adjustably mounted onthe arm 45 with the aid ofseveral screws 65 and slots 66 (only one shown) whereby the level of theseat 46 may be altered. The free end of arm 45 rests on afloor-contacting spherical caster 67. Arm 45 also carries a foot rest 68for the person occupying the chair 46.

FIG. 2 shows details of the post 3 whose piston 4 is seated by ashoulder 8 on a socket 10 sunk into the floor F. Wires 5 extendingwithin the piston 4 serve for the energization of the aforedescribedelectrical appliances and terminate at the foot of the piston in amultiple plug 6 co-operating with a mating multiple jack 7 which servesas the terminus of external supply leads 23 disposed within the floor.Piston 4 has a head 17 in fluidtight contact with the inner wall surfaceof a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 11 which defines an annularclearance 12 with the tubular piston rod. A hole 16 in the cylinderwall, near the free lower edge thereof, connects the clearance 12 withan annular channel 14 formed between the outer cylinder surface and asurrounding tubular sheath 13 rigid with cylinder 11 and with thedesktop 1. A spring-loaded bumper 69 within the working chamber 19 ofcylinder 11 intercepts the descending desk top 1 upon a failure ofpressure within that chamber.

By the admission and removal of high-pressure fluid into and fromchamber 19, with the aid of conventional valves (not shown) electricallycontrolled by the handles 38 of FIG. 1, the desk top 1 can be displacedbetween a lower limiting position (full lines) and an upper limitingposition (dot-dash lines) separated by a distance H which represents thestroke of the movable cylinder 11. An opening 15 in the wall of piston 4is located at the midpoint of the stroke executed by the hole 16, i.e. adistance I-I/2 above the illustrated bottom position of that hole, andis traversed by the internal wiring 5 which rises from plug 6 within thepiston and then passes in clearance 12 between apertures 15 and 16,thereafter extending within the outer channel 14 to a bore 18 of thedesk top 1.

As also illustrated in FIG. 2, a similar path may be followed by theworking fluid entering and leaving the chamber 19 via a flexible tube 70which communicates through a coupling 71 with a pipe 72 also locatedwithin the floor F. Tube leaves the interior of the piston 4 through anopening 73 at the level of opening 15, then passes outwardly through ahole 74 in the wall of cylinder 11 near the lower edge thereof, andfinally opens into chamber 19 at a port 75.

FIG. 3 shows a modified piston fitting into a base which is providedwith a foot 20 and with lateral contact pins 21 for extending thecircuits of wires 5 to their external power-supply and/or communicationnetwork by corresponding female connectors not shown. Naturally, thebase 110 could be given any desired shape including, for example,several feet extending indifferent directions. Base 110 may be screwedor otherwise fastened to the floor at any convenient location.

FIG. 4 illustrates an array of four juxtaposed sockets 10a, 10b, 10c,10d, each similar to the socket 10 of FIG. 2, combined into a singleunit sunk into the floor. Two sets of bus bars 23', 23" are disposed ina pair of intersecting floor channels 22', 22", branches of these busbars extending from junction boxes 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d to respectivejacks 125, a, 325s in each socket. The connection between these jacksand the wiring inside each piston 4a 4d of respective desk-supportingposts is completed by plugs similar to the one shown at 6 (FIG. 2) upona positioning of each piston, with the aid of itskey 9, in theassociated socket. Naturally, not all the available sockets need beutilized for the mounting of posts.

FIG. 5 illustrates a possible positioning of two diagonally adjoiningdesks la, 1b, together with chairs 46a, 46b, on posts 3a, 3b rising fromthe corresponding sockets of FIG. 4. Two other desks 1c and 1d andchairs 46c, 46d, whose positions have been shown in dot-dash lines maybe mounted on the remaining sockets which in their absence are coveredby plates 26c and 26d.

In FIG. 6 I have shown a modified socket 28 lodged in a ceiling 27 forthe support of a depending post 3' with a fixed cylinder 11 and a mobilepiston 4' secured to a desk top not shown. Extensible wires 5 withinpost 3' terminate at sleeves 76 within a dielectric end plate 31 of thecylinder, these sleeves confronting a set of mating pins 77 at the endsof respective supply leads 23 extending within the ceiling. Pins 77project downwardly from an axially shiftable but non-rotatable baseplate 33 which is under downward pressure from a coil spring 36 bearingupon a top plate 35; stops 29 on the inner wall of socket 28 limit thedescent of plate 33 and also serve as bayonet lugs coacting with slots30 in the upper part of cylinder 1 1. Each slot 30 has an arcuatemidportion 30a with an open-ended vertical branch 30b and a blindvertical branch 300, the lugs 29 entering the branches 30b of theassociated slots upon an upward thrusting of cylinder 11 into the socket28 in a position in which the pins 77 are disaligned from the sleeves 76so that the plate 31 is lifted against the force of spring 36 and totheextent permitted by fixed'abutments 34 within the socket. Next, thecylinder 11 is rotated so that the lugs 29 move within the branches 30aof their slots until they reach the branches 30c thereof, at which pointthe pins 77 find themselves in alignment with sleeves 76 so that spring36 is free to press the plate 33 downwardly for completing theelectrical connection between conductors 5' and 23. The post 3' is thenallowed to descend under its own weight so that the lugs 29 becomefirmly lodged inthe slot branches 300 without breaking the electricalconnection.-

As further shown in FIG. 6, socket 28 may have an upward extension 128accommodating leads 123 which branch off the wires 23 and pass upwardlythrough apertures in plate 35 to a set of connectors (not shown). Thus,socket extension 128 may receive a rising column at the next-higherfloor, e.g. in the manner described for socket l and post 3 withreference to FIG.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a unit similar to that of FIG. 1, except that thecantilevered desk top 1 is mounted on post 3 at a corner rather than atthe center of its rear edge. The part of the desk top designated 37 is aplate fixed to the movable cylinder portion of the post whereas anotherpart 39, representing a worktable, is tiltably mounted (e.g. fordrafting purposes) on the plate 37 by'means of a trunnion 40 received ina horizontal bore 41 of that portion. Table 39' is internally channeledM42, 43 to accommodate respective transmission lines which extend fromthe wires in bore 18 (cf. FIG. 2) to outlets 44', 44" in line-with theswing axis of the table and at the rear edge thereof, respectively. Bypassing through the hollow pivot represented by trunnion 40, these wiresare protected from excessive wear upon a tilting of table 39.

Trunnion 40 may be designed as the male part of a separable couplingenabling the tabletop 39 with its internal wiring to be removed from therigid desk portion 37, e.g. for replacement by another tabletop ofdifferent appearance and/or configuration.

FIG. 7 and 8 also show a lamp 48 forming part of the lighting fixture 47which in this case is cantilevered to the top of post 3 so as tooverhang the tiltable working surface 39.

FIG. 8 further shows the removable mounting of the set of drawers 2 onthe underside of desk top 1, its frame 53 being provided for thispurpose with lateral flanges 50 slidably engaged by a pair of rails 49which are vertically movable and are urged against these flanges bysprings 55. Casters 52 (similar to ball 67) at the bottom of frame 53form a rolling undercarriage on which the set of drawers 2 may be bodilytransported to another location after the desk top 1 has been loweredsufficiently to let these casters come to rest on the floor F. Thus, theuser of the desk may easily transfer all his files to a different deskin the case of relocation, or possibly to a conference room fortemporary use there, without having to carry each drawer individually orto empty its contents.

In similar manner, a wastebasket 51 suspended from the tabletop 39 bymeans of flanges and rails 49 loaded by springs 55 can be removed fromthe desk 1 and emptied before being returned to its normal position. Achute 56 gives access to the wastebasket 51 while a flap 54 (FIG. 5) maybe provided in desk plate 37 above an access opening for the top drawerof set It will thus be seen that I have provided a highly versatilepiece of furniture which can be adapted to a variety of purposes andwhich, upon removal of the receptacles 2 and 51, reduces to a simpleshelf that could even be raised high enough to allow unhindered trafficthrough the room. The associated chair, of course, could bemade'demountable from post 3 if necessary. Suitable means (not shown)may be provided in the unit of FIGS. 7 and 8 to clamp or arrest thetiltable top 39 in different positions.

I claim:

l. A piece of office furniture comprising a desk top and a supporttherefor, said support consistingessentially of an upright extensiblepost including a cylinder member and a piston'member slidable in saidcylinder member under fluid pressure, one of said members being rigidwith said desk top, the other of said members being fixedly secured to asurrounding building structure, said piston member being hollow andinternally provided with at least one supply line having terminal meansat said desk top for connecting tooffice equipment to be suppliedthereby; said desk top being cantilevered to said post by a marginalportion engaging said one of said members and including a swingableworktable provided with hollow pivot means hingedly securing same tosaid marginal portion, at least part of said terminal means beingcarried on said worktable and connected to said supply line by conductormeans axially traversing said hollow pivot means.

2. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 1 wherein said piston memberis rigid with the floor of a room defined by said building structure.

3. A piece of furniture as defined in claim lwherein said structure isprovided with utility mains, said supply line being coupled to saidmains through a pair of mating connectors at an end of said pistonmember.

4. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 1, further comprising anadjustable frame extending from said post beneath said desk top and aseat on said frame confronting said desk top on a side remote from saidmarginal portion.

5. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 1 wherein said desk top isprovided on its underside with rail means and with depending receptaclemeans detachably secured thereto by said rail means.

6. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 5 wherein said receptaclemeans is provided with an undercarriage enabling transportation thereofalong a floor.

7. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 5 wherein said desk top isprovided with at least. one access opening overlying said receptaclemeans.

8. A piece of office furniture comprising a desk top and a supporttherefor, said support consisting essentially of an upright extensiblepost including a cylinder member and a piston member slidable in saidcylinder member under fluid pressure, one of said members being rigidwith said desk top, the other of said members being fixedly secured to asurrounding building structure provided with utility mains, said pistonmember being hollow and internally provided with at least one supplyline joining said mains at an end of said piston member and havingterminal means at said desk top for connection to office equipment to besupplied thereby; said supply line including a flexible element emergingfrom the interior of said piston member at an intermediate point andcontinuing thence outside said piston and cylinder members with enoughslack to allow movement of an edge of said cylinder member past saidintermediate point in opposite directions, said cylinder member beingspaced from said piston member in the region of said edge with formationof a clearance accommodating part of said element.

9. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 8 wherein said cylindermember is provided with an external sheath spacedly surrounding same andforming therewith a channel for a portion of said element.

10. A piece of furniture as defined in claim wherein said cylindermember is provided near said edge with a hole traversed by said elementbetween said channel and said clearance.

11. A piece of office furniture comprising a desk top and a supporttherefor, said support consisting essentially of an upright extensiblepost including a cylinder member and a piston member slidable in saidcylinder member under fluid pressure, one of said members being rigidwith said desk top, the other of said members being provided with anopen-ended socket fixedly secured to a surrounding building structureand being further provided with retaining means for immobilizing same insaid socket, said piston member being hollow and internally providedwith at least one supply line having terminal means at said desk top forconnection to office equipment to be supplied thereby; said supply lineincluding at least one electrical conductor and coupling meanscomprising an axially movable base plate in said socket resilientlybiased toward the open end of said socket receiving saidother of saidmembers, the latter having an end plate with a termination for saidconductor, said base plate carrying a complementary formation engageablewith said termination in a fully inserted position of said other of saidmembers and tied to utility mains in said structure.

12. A piece of office furniture comprising a desk top and a supporttherefor, said support consisting essentially of an upright extensiblepost including a cylinder member and a hollow piston member slidable insaid cylinder member under fluid pressure, one of said members beingrigid with said desk top, the other of said members being provided at anend portion thereof with a socket fixedly secured to a surroundingbuilding structure and being further provided with retaining means forimmobilizing said end portion in said socket; electrical conductor meanswithin said post passing partly through said piston member and partlythrough said cylinder member in a generally vertical direction, saidconductor means having a first termination at said desk top forconnection to office equipment to be supplied thereby and having asecond termination at said end portion; and connector means in saidsocket matingly engaging said second termination upon insertion of saidend portion into said socket, said connector means being conductivelyjoined to utility means in said structure.

1. A piece of office furniture comprising a desk top and a supporttherefor, said support consisting essentially of an upright extensiblepost including a cylinder member and a piston member slidable in saidcylinder member under fluid pressure, one of said members being rigidwith said desk top, the other of said members being fixedly secured to asurrounding building structure, said piston member being hollow andinternally provided with at least one supply line having terminal meansat said desk top for connecting to office equipment to be suppliedthereby; said desk top being cantilevered to said post by a marginalportion engaging said one of said members and including a swingableworktable provided with hollow pivot means hingedly securing same tosaid marginal portion, at least part of said terminal means beingcarried on said worktable and connected to said supply line by conductormeans axially traversing said hollow pivot means.
 2. A piece offurniture as defined in claim 1 wherein said piston member is rigid withthe floor of a room defined by said building structure.
 3. A piece offurniture as defined in claim 1 wherein said structure is provided withutility mains, said supply line being coupled to said mains through apair of mating connectors at an end of said piston member.
 4. A piece offurniture as defined in claim 1, further comprising an adjustable frameextending from said post beneath said desk top and a seat on said frameconfronting said desk top on a side remote from said marginal portion.5. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 1 wherein said desk top isprovided on its underside with rail means and with depending receptaclemeans detachably secured thereto by said rail means.
 6. A piece offurniture as defined in claim 5 wherein said receptacle means isprovided with an undercarriage enabling transportation thereof along afloor.
 7. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 5 wherein said desktop is provided with at least one access opening overlying saidreceptacle means.
 8. A piece of office furniture comprising a desk topand a support therefor, said support consisting essentially of anupright extensible post including a cylinder member and a piston memberslidable in said cylinder member under fluid pressure, one of saidmembers being rigid with said desk top, the other of said members beingfixedly secured to a surrounding building structure provided withutility mains, said piston member being hollow and internally providedwith at least one supply line joining said mains at an end of saidpiston member and having terminal means at said desk top for connectionto office equipment to be supplied thereby; said supply line including aflexible element emerging from the interior of said piston member at anintermediate point and continuing thence outside said piston andcylinder members with enough slack to allow movement of an edge of saidcylinder member past said intermediate point in opposite directions,said cylinder member being spaced from said piston member in the regionof said edge with formation of a clearance accommodating part of saidelement.
 9. A piece of furniture as defined in claim 8 wherein saidcylinder member is provided with an external sheath spacedly surroundingsame and forming therewith a channel for a portion of said element. 10.A piece of furniture as defined in claim 5 wherein said cylinder memberis provided near said edge with a hole traversed by said element betweensaid channel and said clearance.
 11. A piece of office furniturecomprising a desk top and a suppoRt therefor, said support consistingessentially of an upright extensible post including a cylinder memberand a piston member slidable in said cylinder member under fluidpressure, one of said members being rigid with said desk top, the otherof said members being provided with an open-ended socket fixedly securedto a surrounding building structure and being further provided withretaining means for immobilizing same in said socket, said piston memberbeing hollow and internally provided with at least one supply linehaving terminal means at said desk top for connection to officeequipment to be supplied thereby; said supply line including at leastone electrical conductor and coupling means comprising an axiallymovable base plate in said socket resiliently biased toward the open endof said socket receiving said other of said members, the latter havingan end plate with a termination for said conductor, said base platecarrying a complementary formation engageable with said termination in afully inserted position of said other of said members and tied toutility mains in said structure.
 12. A piece of office furniturecomprising a desk top and a support therefor, said support consistingessentially of an upright extensible post including a cylinder memberand a hollow piston member slidable in said cylinder member under fluidpressure, one of said members being rigid with said desk top, the otherof said members being provided at an end portion thereof with a socketfixedly secured to a surrounding building structure and being furtherprovided with retaining means for immobilizing said end portion in saidsocket; electrical conductor means within said post passing partlythrough said piston member and partly through said cylinder member in agenerally vertical direction, said conductor means having a firsttermination at said desk top for connection to office equipment to besupplied thereby and having a second termination at said end portion;and connector means in said socket matingly engaging said secondtermination upon insertion of said end portion into said socket, saidconnector means being conductively joined to utility means in saidstructure.